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Best Value Schools in Hawaii

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2023 Best Value Schools in Hawaii

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices

12 Schools Ranked
$17,486 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$23,422 Avg Student Debt*

Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools and bootcamps that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.

The Best Value Schools in Hawaii ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 12 schools in Hawaii to see which programs offered the best value experiences for students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.

Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.

Top Value Schools in Hawaii

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Kapiolani Community College

Honolulu, Hawaii
1,084 Total Awards
$8,420 Average Tuition & Fees

Our 2023 rankings named Kapiolani Community College the best value school in Hawaii for students working on their degree. This medium-sized public school is located in Honolulu, Hawaii, and it awarded 1,084 degrees in 2020-2021.

Kapiolani CC undergraduate students pay an average of $8,420 in tuition and fees each year. On average, students take out $16,088 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, Kapiolani CC graduates make an average of $42,781 annually.

Kapiolani CC also took the #2 spot in our Best Schools in Hawaii rankings.

Full Kapiolani Community College Report

572 Total Awards
$8,414 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #2 on this year’s list means University of Hawaii Maui College is a great place for students who want to get the most value for their educational dollar. UH Maui College is located in Kahului, Hawaii and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 572 degrees to qualified students.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at UH Maui College are $8,414 a year. On average, students take out $19,825 in loans while pursuing their degree.After graduating from UH Maui College, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $47,986 during the early years of their career.

UH Maui College also made our Best Schools in Hawaii list, coming in at #1.

Read full report on University of Hawaii Maui College

#3

Honolulu Community College

Honolulu, Hawaii
756 Total Awards
$8,310 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Honolulu Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value schools in Hawaii. Located in Honolulu, Hawaii, the small public school handed out 756 degrees in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Honolulu CC are $8,310 per year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,126 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, Honolulu CC graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $55,089 during the early year of their career.

Read full report on Honolulu Community College

#4

Leeward Community College

Pearl City, Hawaii
1,293 Total Awards
$8,345 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Leeward Community College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Schools in Hawaii list. Pearl City, Hawaii is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 1,293 students in 2020-2021.

Leeward CC undergraduate students pay an average of $8,345 in tuition and fees each year. On average, students take out $14,271 in loans while pursuing their degree. Once they receive their degree, Leeward CC graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $29,405 during the early year of their career.

Full Leeward Community College Report

#5

Hawaii Community College

Hilo, Hawaii
530 Total Awards
$8,340 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hawaii Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Schools in Hawaii list. Hawaii CC is a public institution located in Hilo, Hawaii. The school has a small population, and it awarded 530 degrees in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Hawaii CC are $8,340 a year. Degree recipients from the school accumulate an average of $13,800 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Hawaii CC, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $36,268 during the early years of their career.

Full Hawaii Community College Report

759 Total Awards
$6,068 Average Tuition & Fees

Brigham Young University - Hawaii landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value programs. BYU - H is located in Laie, Hawaii and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 759 degrees to qualified students.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at BYU - H are $6,068 a year. During the early years of their career, BYU - H graduates make an average of $31,337 annually.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, BYU - H is ranked #5 for overall quality in Hawaii.

Full Brigham Young University - Hawaii Report

706 Total Awards
$20,544 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Hawaii - West Oahu ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Schools in Hawaii list. University of Hawaii - West Oahu is a small public school located in Kapolei, Hawaii that handed out 706 degrees in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UH West Oahu are $20,544 per year. On average, students take out $24,159 in loans while pursuing their degree. During the early years of their career, UH West Oahu graduates make an average of $37,094 annually.

Full University of Hawaii - West Oahu Report

#8

University of Phoenix - Hawaii

Honolulu, Hawaii
52 Total Awards
$9,552 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Phoenix - Hawaii ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Schools in Hawaii list. Located in Honolulu, Hawaii, the very small private for-profit school handed out 52 degrees in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UOPX - Hawaii are $9,552 per year. On average, students take out $38,194 in loans while pursuing their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $147, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, UOPX - Hawaii graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $50,454 during the early year of their career.

UOPX - Hawaii not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #3 on our Best Schools in Hawaii list.

Full University of Phoenix - Hawaii Report

775 Total Awards
$20,798 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Hawaii at Hilo came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Schools in Hawaii ranking. UH Hilo is a public institution located in Hilo, Hawaii. The school has a small population, and it awarded 775 degrees in 2020-2021.

UH Hilo undergraduate students pay an average of $20,798 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,082 in student loans.After graduating from UH Hilo, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $39,336 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

#10

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Honolulu, Hawaii
4,461 Total Awards
$34,218 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Hawaii at Manoa did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students. It came in at #10 on the list. Honolulu, Hawaii is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out degrees to 4,461 students in 2020-2021.

UH Manoa undergraduate students pay an average of $34,218 in tuition and fees each year. On average, students take out $21,643 in loans while pursuing their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $332 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from UH Manoa, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $42,927 during the early years of their career.

Read More…

#11

Chaminade University of Honolulu

Honolulu, Hawaii
653 Total Awards
$27,454 Average Tuition & Fees

Chaminade University of Honolulu came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Schools in Hawaii ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Honolulu, Hawaii, and it awarded 653 degrees in 2020-2021.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Chaminade University of Honolulu are $27,454 per year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,683 in student loans. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $454. During the early years of their career, Chaminade University of Honolulu graduates make an average of $46,411 annually.

Chaminade University of Honolulu also took the #4 spot in our Best Schools in Hawaii rankings.

Read More…

#12

Hawaii Pacific University

Honolulu, Hawaii
777 Total Awards
$30,020 Average Tuition & Fees

Hawaii Pacific University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Schools in Hawaii list. Hawaii Pacific University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Honolulu, Hawaii. The school has a small population, and it awarded 777 degrees in 2020-2021.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Hawaii Pacific University are $30,020 a year. By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,890 in student loans. Once they receive their degree, Hawaii Pacific University graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $40,963 during the early year of their career.

Read full report on Hawaii Pacific University

Best Value Schools in the Far Western US Region

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 12 schools only.

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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